Source
r/Pathfinder2e•
Johnnyjester

Press and Ready

Core Rules

Hi, communal Pathfinder 2 brains of Reddit.

I just noticed a recursive loop between 2 actions and wording and we're gonna need a tiebreaker.

First contender : Ready action, clearly states that if you already suffer from Multiple Attack Pernalty (MAP), you keep it when using your Reaction for the Readied action.

Second contender : Press trait, asking for a MAP to be used, but stating that

Because a press action requires a multiple attack penalty...

you cannot use it while Readying.

So? As I read, the Press trait doesn't want to be used in a Ready action, but the written argument doesn't make sense, because ready keeps the MAP. Why couldn't I Strike then Ready a Brutish Shove should my enemy move in a specific square? Your thoughts? :-)

As always, a very nice day to everyone here!

Posted Sep 2, 2020, 2:51 PM UTC

921
Pk_King64•

The general rule is that specific overrides general, so the fact that the Press trait specifically says it can't be used as part of a ready action, even if you're suffering from MAP out of your turn, you can't use a press action as a ready action.

17
Sparticuse•

My read is that the end bit of "even if you ready" is simply poorly worded and should have been a separate sentence that read "you cannot use an action with the press trait when you ready an action".

I think they intended that to be an extra restriction on readying but the writer wrote it as an extension of the previous sentence because they are related ideas and didn't realize it creates a contradictory situation.

Also, as a general rule "cannot" supersedes "can" so without clarification from the designers my take would lean on "cannot" even without the sentences being separated.

5
JohnnyjesterOPGM•

Something that should probably be re-worded in a better way indeed. I lean on "cannot" too, just wanted to see if anyone had a clear errata on this matter or something. Thanks for the great write-up :)

2
CheeseLife840•

"even if" also shows up in the Ranger Class feat, that grants Animal Companions a free move or strike if you don't use the Command an Animal action, which confuses the heck out of the wording. Do you they get a free action, or do they only get a free action if you don't command an animal! I don't know, you used the words "even if."

1
Sparticuse•

I don't think the ranger feat is unclear. The "even if" is clarifying that you no longer need to command your companion for it to take a single action.

2
CheeseLife840•

"During an encounter, even if you don’t use the Command an Animal action, your animal companion can still use 1 action that round on your turn to Stride toward or Strike your prey."

"During an encounter, if you don’t use the Command an Animal action, your animal companion can still use 1 action that round on your turn to Stride toward or Strike your prey."

Read the two lines above and tell me what they mean.

1
Sparticuse•

The same thing. "Even if" means the same thing as "if" by itself. It adds emphasis to the statement, but doesn't change its meaning.

2
Craios125•

The rule very specifically says you can't Ready Press actions.

That's it.

1
mrjinx_•

The way I see it is that Press is like an immediate followup, like a trained combination punch when the next strike is in action near simultaneous as the other

1